Two new species of the deepwater scorpionfish genus Lioscorpius (Setarchidae) from the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Ichthyological Research - Two new deepwater scorpionfishes, Lioscorpius brevirostris sp. nov. and Lioscorpius vermiculatus sp. nov., are described on the basis of 20 and 11 specimens from the...     

Revision of the genus Xylomoia Staudinger (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), with descriptions of two new species

Seven species are included in the genus Xylomoia Staudinger, two of which are new: X. retinax sp.n. from the Novosibirsk area, Western Siberia, and from the Chelyabinsk area, southern Ural Mountains, and X. stangelmaieri sp.n. from Caorle, Venezia Giulia, on the Adriatic coast. A North American species, Chortodes didonea (Smith) comb.n., is removed from the genus. According to a cladistic analysis, the genus Xylomoia comprises one plesiomorphic species group, the chagnoni group, and two apomorphic groups: the graminea and strix groups. The latter are exclusively temperate Palaearctic. Xylomoia chagnoni (Barnes & McDunnough) is the only Nearctic species of the genus, and the loosely related X. apameaoides (Hacker) was recently described from Turkey. In geographical isolation, these two species have retained many ancestral features. In the more central area, the common ancestor of the graminea and strix groups has evolved into at least five species. The locality and rarity of the species of Xylomoia seemingly result from adaptation of the species to moist habitats, the larvae probably bore inside grass stems (the case of X. chagnoni ). What are called lock-and-key mechanisms may lead to the use of non-independent character states in a cladistic analysis; particularly in the case of homoplasy this kind of double-weighting may result in erroneous cladograms. In Xylomoia , deleting female lock-and-keys affected only the number of cladograms produced, whereas omitting the corresponding male characters had profound effects on the cladogram.     

Redescription of the circumglobal deepwater scorpionfish Setarches guentheri (Setarchidae)

Ichthyological Research - Setarches guentheri Johnson 1862 and Setarches longimanus (Alcock 1894) are similar to each other in sharing III, 4–6 (usually 5) anal-fin rays, a moderately deep...     

Review of Indo-Pacific species of the scorpionfish genus Scorpaena (Teleostei: Scorpaenidae), with descriptions of two new species from the west coast of Australia

Ichthyological Research - A taxonomic review of Indo-Pacific species of the scorpionfish genus Scorpaena resulted in the recognition of 21 valid species (including 2 subspecies and 2 new species)...     

Revision of the fishes of the New Zealand genus Hemerocoetes (Perciformes: Percophididae), with descriptions of two new species

Abstract

Five species of the marine New Zealand genus Hemerocoetes are recognised and described: H. monopterygius (Schneider) [= H. acanthorhynchus (Forster)]; H. morelandi n.sp.; H. pauciradiatus Regan; H. artus n.sp.; and H. macrophthalmus Regan. H. waitei Regan is placed in synonymy with H. macrophthalmus. H. morelandi differs from the two other species possessing a relatively wide interorbital and small eye in lacking a dorsal iris flap and (mature males) in having an elongate first dorsal fin ray. It differs from H. monopterygius in having an elongate barbel at the tip of the upper jaw in mature males, and from most specimens of H. pauciradiatus in having 36–38 anal fin rays. H. morelandi is known primarily from off the Auckland Islands and Campbell Island, whereas H. monopterygius is widespread around the North and South Islands and the Chatham Islands, and H. pauciradiatus is commonest off the southern portion of the South Island and off the Chatham Islands. H. artus differs most noticeably from the similar H. macrophthalmus in having unbranched dorsal fin rays. Both have relatively narrower interorbitals and larger eyes and occur in deeper water than the other three species, but H. artus is known from south of latitude 44.0°S, whereas H. macrophthalmus is known primarily from north of about 44.5°S. In possessing a continuous dorsal fin lacking spines, Hemerocoetes is the most distinctive of the percophidid genera. It most closely resembles the western Australian Branchiopsaron ozawai and the Japanese Spinapsaron barbatus.     

Revision of the Acanthoclinidae (Pisces: Perciformes), with descriptions of a new genus and five new species

Abstract

The family Acanthoclinidae includes 10 species: Acanthoclinus fuscus Jenyns, 1842; Taumakoides littoreus ((Forster) Bloch & Schneider, 1801); T. rua n. sp.; T. marilynae n. sp.; T. matti n. sp.; Belonepterygion fasciolatum (Ogilby, 1889); Beliops xanthokrossos n. gen. et sp.; Acanthoplesiops indicus (Day, 1888); A. hiatti Schultz, 1953; and A. psilogaster n. sp. Acanthoclinus quadridactylus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) and A. trilineatus Griffin, 1933, are reduced to synonymy under Taumakoides littoreus ((Forster) Bloch & Schneider, 1801).

Osteological and morpological character states, between and within genera, suggest that Acanthoclinus and Taumakoides are close to the stock from which the family is derived. There is also compelling evidence that T. matti is the least specialised species of Taumakoides. Progressive specialisation is evident in the remaining genera, with Acanthoplesiops being the most highly specialised.

The family occurs primarily in shallow waters of the Indian and western Pacific oceans; most of the species are found about New Zealand. The centre of origin of the Acanthoclinidae was probably on the Indian-Australian Plate (which includes the New Zealand continental shelf). Acanthoplesiops hiatti and A. indicus are considered to be endemics of the Pacific and African plates, respectively.

A key to species is included.     

Review of the Indo-West Pacific pipefish genus Urocampus (Syngnathidae), with descriptions of two new species

Ichthyological Research - The Indo-West Pacific genus Urocampus Günther 1870 (Syngnathidae) is diagnosed by the following combination of characters: continuous superior trunk and tail ridges,...     

Tubificidae (oligochaeta) from the Ross Sea (Antarctica), with descriptions of one new genus and two new species

Three species,Torodrilus gelidus sp. nov. (subfamily Rhyacodrilinae),Rossidrilus terraenovae gen. et sp. nov. (Limnodriloidinae), and a second unnamed species of Limnodriloidinae, are reported from marine sediments in Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea. Torodrilus gelidus is distinguished fromT. lowryi Cook, 1970 by its setal pattern (with few exceptions, both anterior and posterior setae are single-pointed in sexually mature specimens ofT. gelidus) and the morphology of its male protuberances (the latter folded over a midventral bursa in segment XI).Rossidrilus terraenovae is characterized by large diverticula attached to the oesophagus in the posterior part of segment IX, unpaired male and spermathecal pores, heavily muscular and entally ciliated atrial ampullae, elongate prostatic pads, and a deep, unpaired and muscular, copulatory sac. It is the first species of its subfamily to be described from Antarctic waters.     

Revision of the genus Parasapyga Turner (Hymenoptera,Sapygidae), with the description of two new species

Two new species, Parasapyga boschi sp. n. from Vietnam and P. yvonnae sp. n. from Indonesia are described. Parasapyga walshae van der Vecht, 1940, is treated as a valid species instead of a subspecies of P. moelleri Turner, 1910. A key to the species of the genus is added and all species are illustrated.     

Revision of some comasterid genera from Australia (Echinodermata: Crinoidea), with descriptions of two new genera and nine new species

Morphological characters used in comasterid taxonomy are reappraised. As a result, form and distribution of pinnule combs are newly promoted as primary characters of generic recognition. Form and arrangement of cirri and division series, as used by A. H. Clark (1931), are rejected as characters important in recognizing taxa higher than species. Five of 12 comasterid genera reported as occurring in Australian waters (H. L. Clark, 1946) are critically examined. Of these genera, Comantheria A. H. Clark, 1909b is referred to the synonymy of Comanthus A. H. Clark, 1908a, Comanlhoides A. H. Clark, 1931 is referred to the synonymy of Cenolia A. H. Clark, 1916b, and Comanthina A. H. Clark, 1909b is maintained. In addition, two new genera are described. These genera are related by the occurence of the first brachial syzygy at 3 + 4 on all arms. Twenty-six species within the five genera are now recognized in Australian waters. Nine new species are described, and the 17 existing species are rediagnosed and critically reappraised. The revision involves taxa distributed throughout the Indo-west Pacific region, as far west as S Africa.     

One the genus Tocama Reitter (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae), with descriptions of two new species from Indochina

Two new species of the Oriental scarab genus Tocama Reitter, 1902, Tocama laosensissp. n. and Tocama procerasp. n., are described from Indochina with diagnoses, distributions, remarks and illustrations. A key to the species of the genus is provided with a checklist with several nomenclatural changes: Hoplosternus tonkinensis Moser, 1913 is transferred to Tocama; Hoplosternus pygidialis Moser, 1915 syn. n., Tocama atra atra Keith, 2006 syn. n. and Tocama atra reichenbachi Keith, 2007 syn. n. = Tocama tonkinensis (Moser).     

Revision of the New World genus Quichuana Knab, 1913 (Diptera: Syrphidae), including descriptions of 24 new species

The species of the New World syrphid genus, Quichuana Knab, 1913 (Diptera: Syrphidae: Eristalini), are revised and the genus is re‐diagnosed. Twenty‐four new species are described, bringing the total number considered valid to 48. New species were mostly reared from Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad, and Venezuela. The male of Quichuana picadoi is described for the first time. Quichuana championi is proposed as a synonym of Quichuana cincta, Quichuana aurata as a synonym of Quichuana angustiventris, and Quichuana sepiapennis as a synonym of Quichuana calathea. Quichuana inca var. brevicera is raised to specific status. Lectotypes are designated for Helophilus auratus, Quichuana bezzii, Quichuana fasciata, and Quichuana parisii. A species‐level identification key for both males and females is provided. Male genitalia of 18 species are illustrated. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 166 , 72–131.     

Heteroxiphia Saini & Singh (Hymenoptera, Xiphydriidae), a genus new to China with descriptions of two new species

Heteroxiphia Saini & Singh, 1987 is redescribed and Heteroxiphia sinicasp. n.and Heteroxiphia tenuipalpasp. n. from China are described. A key to three species is provided and a key for separation of Heteroxiphia, Trixiphidia Wei, 1999 and Yangixiphia Wei, 2002 is also provided.